The Great Barrier Reef - one of the world's seven natural wonders - spans over 2,300 kilometres, tracing much of the Queensland coast. It comprises more than 2,900 individual reefs plus 600 continental islands and 300 coral cays and covers an area of over 348,000 square kilometres. The mosaic of reefs, cays and islands form a marine kingdom of awesome beauty and the Whitsundays offers a myriad of ways to experience this natural wonder.
The Whitsundays lies at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef and as if to prove the point is Heart Reef - a perfect heart shaped reef amid a coral lagoon. The coral platforms, turquoise lagoons and rich blue channels of the Whitsundays' reefs lie in easy range of the islands and mainland. These are some of the most pristine areas of the entire Great Barrier Reef and they are home to over 400 varieties of coral and 1,500 species of tropical fish and marine creatures.
With names like Hook, Line, Sinker and Bait the reefs are ideal places to go fishing for new experiences but these waters and their creatures are protected by the Marine National Park. While you can't bring home the myriad coloured fish that inhabit the reefs you can catch them on film and the Whitsundays offers a host of ways to see and enjoy the reef.
